This week’s idea is simple: feedback. The following Ted Talk from behavioral economist Dan Ariely is powerful. When watching the video, consider how you use feedback to support teachers to improve their practice.

The thought that incredible lessons teachers slave to create, but remain isolated from colleagues and administrators, due to the system lacking a collaborative structure or administrators failing to organize their day around instruction is awful. Collaboration and observations aren’t simply tasks to check off, but rather activities to understand, recognize, share, and duplicate.

The incredible fruits of teachers’ labor should be recognized. The challenge is setting the stage for a “meaningful condition” to welcome creative dialogue that acknowledges the science of creating lessons and the art of delivering them. Creating this environment will lead to teachers duplicating each others best practices with administrators’ support, guidance, and praise. It can only happen when we’re in the most important spaces in our schools—the classroom. And, feedback is only useful when it’s specific and constructive.

Questions:

1. Do we view the work of instructional rounds and classroom observations as an opportunity to recognize the incredible skill our teachers have in developing lesson plans?

2. Do we encourage their performance through praise?

3. Do we support their growth through effective and skillful recommendations?

4. Do we dare to ask genuine questions during/after these visits to create authentic dialogue around best practices?

Here’s What Matters:

Teacher’s need and deserve feedback on the lessons they create and how well they deliver them. Both praise and critical feedback are paramount for continued success—students will learn more, teachers will improve, and administrators will become stronger instructional leaders.